The Green Bay Packers took a significant hit this week with the news that Devonte Wyatt is done for the season. The fourth-year defensive tackle had been a steady presence on the interior, logging 379 defensive snaps, 27 total tackles, four sacks, and a pair of pass deflections. His absence won’t just be felt statistically - it’s a major disruption to the Packers’ defensive front, which now faces a real test of its depth as the season hits its final stretch.
With Wyatt sidelined, the Packers are turning to a mix of youth and experience to fill the void. Internally, rookie Warren Brinson is expected to see an uptick in snaps.
But the team isn’t relying solely on in-house options. On Wednesday, a new face hit the practice field in Green Bay: Jordon Riley, wearing No.
Riley, a third-year defensive tackle out of Oregon, joins the Packers after spending this season on the New York Giants’ practice squad. Green Bay didn’t just bring him in for a look - they signed him directly to the 53-man roster, signaling that they see him as more than just a stopgap.
Originally a seventh-round pick by the Giants two years ago, Riley has seen the field in 21 games with five starts across two seasons. At 27 years old, he’s a bit older than your typical third-year player, the result of a winding college career that spanned six years and four programs - starting at North Carolina, with stops at Garden City Community College and Nebraska, before finishing at Oregon in 2022.
What Riley brings to Green Bay is size and strength in the middle. Listed at 6-foot-5 and anywhere between 315 and 338 pounds depending on the source, he’s built to anchor the interior and occupy blockers. During a late-season stretch in 2024, the Giants used him at nose tackle, but his frame gives the Packers flexibility - he could line up anywhere across the interior depending on the matchup.
That said, Riley isn’t going to wow anyone with his athleticism. His Pro Day testing numbers didn’t crack the 50th percentile for defensive tackles in any movement drill, so don’t expect him to chase down plays from sideline to sideline. But what he lacks in twitch, he makes up for in raw size and the ability to hold his ground - traits that are especially valuable in a rotation that’s suddenly thin.
And thin it is. With Wyatt out, Karl Brooks becomes the likely next man up at the 3-technique spot - assuming he’s healthy.
Brooks missed the last two games due to injury, though he was back on the field at Wednesday’s practice, a sign that he could be trending toward a return. If he’s good to go, he’ll pair with Brinson to handle the bulk of the interior snaps.
Meanwhile, Colby Wooden and Nazir Stackhouse are the current options at nose tackle.
For Riley, this isn’t his first taste of Lambeau Field. He actually suited up against the Packers during his rookie season in 2023, logging 14 snaps (nine on defense, five on special teams) and recording a solo tackle on AJ Dillon.
From a roster standpoint, the timing of the move is clean. The Packers had one open spot on the 53-man roster before placing Wyatt on injured reserve, and Riley’s addition fills that void. There’s also an expectation that wide receiver Jayden Reed will be activated from IR this week, which would bring the roster back to full strength.
Bottom line: the Packers are in scramble mode on the defensive line, but they’re not standing still. Riley may not be a game-changer, but he’s a big body with NFL experience - and right now, that’s exactly what Green Bay needs.